This course provides comprehensive training in animal welfare, veterinary assistance, and behavior, focusing on domestic and captive animals. Through laboratory sessions and anatomy modules, learners gain deep technical knowledge supported by field trips, guest speakers, and a standalone Canine First Responder qualification. A mandatory 60-hour work placement ensures students gain invaluable practical experience, often leading to direct employment or further career opportunities in the veterinary sector.

Students will gain knowledge and skills to allow them to work in a variety of animal care facilities. You will have the opportunity to:

• Understand and describe animal anatomy and physiology
• Practice and promote animal welfare standards
• Show fundamental biology knowledge
• Execute basic animal grooming techniques
• Analyse and interpret animal behaviour
• Use word processing software effectively
• Provide excellent customer service in animal care settings
• Communicate effectively with clients and colleagues
• Apply knowledge and skills in a real-world work experience setting

Animal Care prepares students to assist the veterinary surgeon in all aspects of animal care.

The Animal Care course with Grooming is tailored to give a real taste of how it feels to work as a groomer in the industry. While learning all the tricks of the grooming trade this full time one year animal care course not only covers grooming but also lets you sample all aspects within the animal care industry.

This programme prepares students to work in a range of settings that provide direct care to animals or progress to further and higher education. This course includes a veterinary assisting skills module to provide a well-rounded education in the growing field of Animal care with veterinary skills. Veterinary skills encompasses a wide range of abilities and knowledge for learners to work in the field of veterinary medicine. Learners will gain a diverse set of skills to effectively care for a wide range of animals and ensure their wellbeing.

This course will facilitate those who wish to pursue a career in the Dog Grooming/Aminal Husbandry Industry. The emphasis of this course will be on developing the skills and practices required to work in a modern dog grooming studio.

This course will also enable participants to acquire the skills, knowledge and competence to provide for the needs of animals in a range of animal care settings, or to progress to further or higher education or training.

Animal Health Care encompasses the practices, knowledge and responsibilities in promoting the wellbeing and health of animals. This programme prepares learners to work in a range of settings or progress to further and higher education. The course includes modules to provide a well-rounded education in the growing field of animal care. This course is specifically designed for learners who want the benefit of animal welfare, animal behaviour, veterinary skills and animal grooming to progress into a variety of careers in the animal care profession.

This one year course is designed as a follow on from the QQI Level 5 Animal Healthcare course and is tailor-made to students who wish to progress in the animal area into a working life with animals. This course caters for experience with pet and farm animals. The farm animal aspect of the course is taught in DFEi but also on-site on a working farm in Dundrum.

Animal Science is an advanced course, building on the occupational skills achieved at Level 5. It is a perfect stepup course to lead you to supervisory careers, or onto Higher Education studies.

The course includes practical and theoretical study of the science of animal health and animal behaviour for domestic, farm and wild animals. You will also enhance your animal handling skills through ‘hands-on’ practical assignments, and explore the wider animal industry.

The aim of this programme is to provide the learner with the opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills and competence to work independently and/or in a management or supervisory role within animal related industries.

This course would suit applicants with a passion for working with animals, a willingness to work hard and an interest in biology. You will have a mixture of classroom-based subjects, laboratory practicals, mandatory work placement (including a work shop in Dublin Zoo) and independent study.